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TOPIC: wheelchair use

shellbell wrote: I'm sure when I claimed DLA back in 1996 it wasn't this complicated.
I have just looked at the guide as kindly suggested and ended up even more confused.
on a good day I can probably walk with difficulty & unstable approx 10- 15 feet indoors using arthritic elbow crutches. on a bad day its indoor electric wheel chair and for out doors its always an electric wheelchair and I cannot propel a normal wheelchair one handed.so I'm not sure if Q14b & 14c are both to be answered as sometimes ?

It is important that you understand that PIP is a different benefit from DLA with very different set of assessment criteria that have been deigned to reduce the associated disability budget by at least 20%.

The legal test is that you can stand and then walk with or without the use of aids.

The first thing you need to look at is your use a wheelchair. Your use of the wheelchair is not being tested so you need to make it clear that any such usage is because you are not able to walk, it is very important that you make it clear, where appropriate, that this is not a choice, if the assessor believes that your wheelchair is simply a matter of convenience rather than necessity you will lose points!

I agree with Foss that you need to mention the crutches, but first you must apply "reliably" as defined in the PIP legislation, see the PIP Claim guide for detail, so it is only distances that you can reliably walk on the majority of days that you need to report. Also, you are not being asked to walk 10-15 feet (3m-5m), but rather a minimum distance (e.g. 1m, 20m, 50m), so if the maximum distance you can walk with or without your crutches on days that you are able to do so in the first place, then you are saying that you can never walk the 20m for (e) and if you are saying on the majority of days you cannot reliably stand and walk 1m even with your crutches then it is (f).

To be clear in both of the above examples there is no question of you doing it "sometimes".

Gordon

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My husband is in a very similar situation, also an RTA.
He has a mobility car & had the PIP assessment a few weeks ago. The fact that he has a w/chair, walking stick etc has been cited in his favour by the assessor. We have the ATOS report & although are awaiting the decision letter he has enhanced living & enhanced mobility on the points outlined on the report(I have also rung them to make sure!)
The aids he had were noted & approved by the assessor. My advice is to mention all aids you have, she even noted the long handled mobility shoehorn!
Good luck to you
x.

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